Who’s That Actor: Ciarán Hinds

Fans of the La Mirren detective series Prime Suspect will probably recognize Ciarán Hinds as the oily Edward Parker-Jones. HBO TV addicts might recall his powerful turn as Gaius Julius Caesar from the short lived Rome. Still others might be more familiar with his work in splashy Hollywood fare The Road to Perdition, Munich or Sum of All Fears. This handsome, versatile Irish actor is a master of slippery accents, characters of both lofty and lowly ambitions and breathing life into trope-worn sturdy, stand up husbands.

One of my favorite Hinds’ performance is in the beautifully adapted – but let’s face it, kind of slow – Tinker Tailor Solider Spy. This scene between Benedict C and Ciaran didn’t make the theatrical release. While not especially showy, it does a nice job of illustrating the charisma and appeal of Hinds as an actor.

Next up for Hinds is The Sea. he stars opposite the divine Charlotte Rampling playing an art historian returning to his childhood home and you can only imagine what soft focus, well crafted things will happen from there…

With over 80 listed credits there’s bound to be a favorite Ciaran Hinds performance of yours. Don’t be shy. Fess up.

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I swooned for Ciaran first when he was the Captain in Persuasion, a favorite, understated Austen adaptation. His moody Irish assymetry perfectly suited the grim misunderstandings and eventual happily-ever-after-with-a-borderline-grump. Loved it. Was thrilled to see he would play Rochester a few years later, but it didn’t measure up the same way. I blamed the distracting facial hair. How do you maintain that nonsense on the Moors of the 1800’s with a straightedge razor…when blinded, no less? Should have been romanced, but was just left concerned for his handsome, charmingly crooked face.

Recently seen Ciarán Hinds on stage @Donmar Warehouse in Conor McPherson’s The Night Alive …. a STUNNING performance!. Utterly transformed into the ‘down at heel’ Tommy, he pulls off a performance so finely tuned, both in timing and delivery, that I was in awe…
The sad-eyed grace, the compassionate couplings with both Aimee & Doc, the drip, drip, drip of the comic one-liner immaculately sounded.
He must surely win a major theatre award this year or indeed Best Actor.
I also had the pleasure of meeting him at the Donmar after performance and he is without a doubt, one of the nicest people you could ever expect to meet, so brilliant on stage and also lovely off it! If I could award 10* for his performance, I would…
Ciarán Hinds is a CLASS Act!
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Kia, that’s hilarious, and so true. I look for Hinds ever since I caught him in Persuasion, my favorite Austen. In spite of him being nothing like the Wentworth of my mind’s eye, I completely believed him.

We’re about halfway through Political Animals and I’m enjoying the semi-biopic of the Clintons. It’s totally the USA version of House of Cards. I hope they might at least consider making a second miniseries? But that’s also cause I miss miniseries, period.

I am also jelly of you being able to see Hinds on stage. What I like about his work is I never know who I’m getting. Part of posting his interview was being a little surprised by his sweet, unassuming engaging nature. It’s so adorable how he says his name as though the interviewer didn’t know who he was! Charming. Now I want to catch up w/ the rest of his oeuvre.

I love that he completely disappears into a role. I mean Tom Hanks is still Tom Hanks playing a role, I can’t describe it any better than that. He’s a great actor but I am always aware that he is Tom Hanks playing a role. Over exposure in Hollywood maybe. But hinds has one of those great faces that you know you’ve seen him in other films, but you try to remember which ones. I’ve seen him in quite a few TV shows and movies now, but my favorite is Eclipse. Lovely movie and a difficult part to play, I imagine, to make it believable. Great post. Thanks for sharing.

I love that he completely disappears into a role. I mean Tom Hanks is still Tom Hanks playing a role, I can’t describe it any better than that. He’s a great actor but I am always aware that he is Tom Hanks playing a role.

A million times this. It’s one of the greatest things about many of the actors this series features. they vanish into the roles they play leaving the viewer with memorable characters and indelible performances.